Advertising display device



May 18, 1937. R. E. EVRr-:TT 2,080,466

l ADVERTISING DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Deo. 8, 1954 INVENTOR Ric/zafra Evere# ATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE Richard E. Everett, Nort to The Hoover Compa a corporation of Ohio Application December 8,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to advertising display devices in general and particularly to a new and novel display device to illustrate to an observer the effective agitating action of a modern suction cleaner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved advertising display device for suction cleaners. It is another object of the invention to provide a display device to illustrate the surface-agitating function of a modern suction cleaner. A still further object is the provision, in a display device, of visual means to indicate to an observer the surface-vibration which takes place to dislocate embedded foreign matter in the operation of a suction cleaner. Still another object is the combination, in a display device for suction cleaners, of a suction cleaner, a surface covering undergoing cleaning, and vibration-indicating means comprising vibrated elements. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specifications and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed:

Figure l is a top plan view of the suction cleaner display device constructed in accordance with the present invention, certain parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a partial front elevation of the construction of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section through the ball cage vibration indicator which has transparent top and bottom walls;

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a modified form of the invention.

In the modern suction cleaner surface-cleaning effectiveness is obtained by combining the effectiveness of a high velocity stream of air with the effectiveness of positive agitation. The positive agitation is accomplished by an actuated agitator element, usually a rotating rigid member which is positioned within the cleaner nozzle so that the moving air stream which enters the nozzle will pass near the point of agitation. The present invention comprises means to display to an observer the vibration of a surface covering undergoing cleaning by the cleaner agitating means. The more effective is the agitation the more effective will be the cleaning. By the present invention visible evidence is given to an observer of the extent of vibration which the cleaner imparts to the surface covering undergoing cleaning.

In Figures l and 2 of the drawing a preferred h Canton, Ohio, assigner ny, North Canton, Ohio,

1934, Serial No. 756,602

embodiment of the invention is disclosed. The suction cleaner, of a common and well-known type, is indicated generally by the reference character l. Within the nozzle of the cleaner a rotary agitator 2 is shown which is of a common type and includes rigid beating elements and flexible brush elements. The agitator is rotated in the operation of the machine by the belt 3 which is suitably connected to the driving motor of the cleaner in a manner which forms no part of the invention.

The cleaner is positioned upon a supporting table 4 and there are secured to the front and the rear of the machine pairs of exible belts or straps 5, 5, which extend along the surface of the table top and pass downwardly therethru over pulleys 6, 6. These straps serve as means `by which the cleaner can be mechanically moved back and forth across the table top within a range between the spaced pairs of pulleys. The straps are moved along the table by any suitable means which is adapted toreverse the direction of movement automatically after a certain travel. The specific and particular driving means by which this is accomplished is not of the essence of the invention.

Extending transversely across the table top between the spaced pairs of pulleys 6, 6, and under the cleaner I, is a continuous strip of carpet or surface covering l. through the top of the table over rollers 8, 8 and means are provided which automatically move the strip of material in a given direction of movement across the table top. This movement preferably takes place automatically upon the cleaner reaching the end of its travel in one direction, at which time it will be displaced from the surface covering preferably. The carpet movement need be only a fraction of an inch. The means by which the movement of the carpet strip 1 is obtained is not of the essence of the invention, it being recognized that a multiplicity of mechanical means can be provided to produce such movement.

Adjacent one side of the strip of carpet 'l and inwardly from the adjacent roller 8 is positioned This covering passes down o an elongated box, cage, or container 9 having transparent top and bottom walls which may be made of a material such as durable thin transparent paper or its equivalent. The box is pro-- vided with rigid continuous inner and outer side walls l0 and Il which form a frame to hold the box in shape, the bottom wall being flexible. Within the box and supported upon the bottom wall thereof are a multiplicity of steel balls l2,

I2 etc. The box is itself retained in place upon the table by seats I3, I3 at its opposite ends and at the sides of the carpet strip 'I.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention the parts are positioned and related as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The. vibration-evidencing means comprising the box 9 with its transparent top and flexible bottom is positioned relative to the carpet 1 with the flexible bottom resting upon the top thereof as shown in Figure 2. As the cleaner is moved back and forth across the carpet strip the rotation of the agitator 2 within the cleaner nozzle results in a vertical displacement of the carpet which has been lifted by the suction-creating means of the cleaner into contact with the lips of the nozzle. The covering vibration is not limited to that portion of the covering immediately below the nozzle, but is effective to a lesser degree at the sides thereof. The ilexible. bottom of the box 9 transmits the vertical displacement of the underlying covering to the balls I2 therein, causing them to dance up and down vertically clearly illustrating the vibration of the covering. As the cleaner is moved back and forth upon the carpet strip the point of maximum ball agitation in the box 9 travels back and forth with it, evidencing in a clear and obvious manner the source of the. vibration which is being effected on the surface covering.

Referring now to Figure 4, in particular, a second form of the invention is disclosed in which the cleaner I, Without the pairs of straps 5, 5, is positioned upon an ordinary piece of carpet, indicated by the reference character I5. The table 4 which formed a part of the rst embodiment is not required and instead the cleaner is actuated by the user who exerts the moving force through the cleaner handle. The vibration displaying box 9 is of reduced size and rests upon the. carpet immediately in front of the nozzle, being again constructed of a transparent top and bottom, the bottom also being flexible, as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment as the cleaner is moved toward and from the vibrationevidencing display means comprising the box 9 With its balls I2 the dance of the balls becomes more or less violent dependent upon the proximity of the cleaner to the box. As the cleaner draws away from the box the vibration of the balls decreases to zero and as the cleaner approaches the box the vibration of the balls increases to a maximum, and upon the nozzle contacting the box it is shoved forwardly in front thereof, the dance of the balls continuing.

I claim:

1. In anv advertising display device, a suction cleaner including means to vibrate a surface covering, a surface covering, said cleaner being adapted to be moved back and forth upon said covering to vibrate different parts thereof, means vibrated by the vibration of said covering including means to evidence visually the extent of cov- 1 ering vibration and means to limit the travel of said last-mentioned means in a horizontal plane.

2. In an advertising display device, a suction cleaner including means to vibrate a surface covering, a surface covering, said cleaner being adapted to be moved back and forth upon said covering to vibrate different parts thereof, and vibration responsive means resting upon said covering and including visible displaceable means adapted to be vibrated vertically by said covering and means to restrain horizontal movement of said displaceable means.

3. In an advertising display device, a suction cleaner includingV means to vibrate. a surface covering, a surface covering, said cleaner being adapted to be moved back and forth upon said covering to vibrate different parts thereof, and visible vibration registering means upon said covering extending in the direction of cleaner movement and adjacent said cleaner andadapted to be vibrated in its portion adjacent said cleaner by the vibration imparted to said covering by said cleaner.

4. In an advertising display device, a suction cleaner including means to vibrate a surface covering, a surface covering, said cleaner being adapted to be moved back and forth upon said covering to vibrate different parts thereof, visible vertically displaceable units resting upon said surface covering and adapted to be vibrated by the covering, and means restricting any horizontal displacement of said units.

5. In an advertising display device, a suction cleaner including means to vibrate a surface covering, a surface covering, said cleaner being adapted to be moved back and forth upon said covering to vibrate different parts thereof, a box having a transparent top and a exible bottom resting upon said covering adjacent said cleaner, and metallic balls in said box resting on the bottom thereof and adapted to be vertically displaced by the covering vibration transmitted thereto through said bottom.

6. In an advertising display device, a surface covering strip on a at surface, a suction cleaner including surface-agitating means, means adapted to move said cleaner back and forth across said strip, an elongated box having a transparent top and a flexible bottom resting on said strip and extended thereacross closely adjacent the path of said cleaner, and a multiplicity of individual balls resting on the bottom of box, the balls being adapted to be vibrated as said cleaner moves therealong.

7. An advertising display device including a suction cleaner having carpet-vibrating means, a carpet, and a box of balls resting on said carpet, the balls being adapted to be vibrated by said covering when it is vibrated by said cleaner.

RICHARD E. EVERETT. 

